When I first started foraying into vlogging, I was overwhelmed by the number of camera accessories for vlogging there is on the market.

How was I supposed to know which products worked and worked well on a budget?

In an effort to prevent you from spending incredible amounts of money on vlogging accessories you really don’t need, I’m going to break down the bare minimum equipment you can get away with as a beginner vlogger.

Lighting

People ask me, “What do you need for vlogging,” all the time and my answer is the same across the board: lighting.

But, you don’t need fancy lighting you just need good lighting that will properly frame you or your subject as the center of attention. I do not recommend relying on natural lighting for one reason: weather and humans are unpredictable.

The chances that it’s going to be overcast when you need to shoot an episode are high, as are the chances that your schedule could get thrown off and you may need to shoot at night.

So, one of the best accessories for vlogging is a natural-looking light kit that are necessary.

That’s where the HSU 18” Bi-Color Ring Light shown above comes in.

This light offers the perfect amount of illumination for your vlog (and creates a beautiful catch light, too!).

It has a large opening in the middle to accommodate a range of camera sizes while the rear control knobs give you quick access to change the brightness and color of the light.

And since this is a kit, it comes with multiple goodies, like an 18-inch LED Beauty Ring Light (LCD Display Screen), a tripod stand, a remote control, an AC power code, an adapter, a manual, and a carry bag.

Just like with photography, videography depends on good lighting. And when you’re vlogging, a ring light is a great option for getting that high-quality light you need.

Tripod

The tripods allow you to fully express your creativity through your vlogging. They also keep your camera steady and out of the reach of any nuisances (like animals or kids).

You’ll need to purchase different tripods depending on what type of vlogging you’re planning on doing. For instance, if you’re a travel vlogger, you might want a tripod that folds up and is light, or if you’re only planning on vlogging out of your home or studio, you might want a mini-tripod that you can stick on your desk and forget about.

Gimbal

Your vlogging accessories kit isn’t complete without a gimbal. Gimbals allow you to rotate your camera on multiple axes. They basically allow you to get the same shot from 360 degrees and are used frequently in travel vlogging.

The HSU Gimbal Stabilizer is incredible because it features a universal quick-release plate, it allows you to shoot full 360-degree shots on 3 different axes, and it carries up to 8 lbs (which is more than enough for almost any vlogger).

Camera Cage

As you get more and more into vlogging and have more and more of the needed accessories for upping the production value of your videos, you’ll find that having a camera cage is a Godsend.

A camera cage is exactly what it sounds like – it’s a metal cage that surrounds the camera body and gives you multiple points of attachment for accessories like microphones, lights, monitors, and so forth

Cages like this are form-fitted to your camera, so you have to be sure to select a cage that was designed for your specific camera body. With cutouts for the battery door and memory card slot, a perfect fit is a must!

Once you have your camera mounted to the cage, you can go about adding the accessories you need to create vlogs with high production value.

Microphone

This is the section of vlogging accessories where I feel tons of people get ripped off because there are so many types of microphones, beginner vloggers think you need one of each.

If you’re going to be interviewing anyone in your vlogging journey, definitely invest in a microphone.

Editing Software 

You’re not going to get very far in your vlogging career if you don’t own editing software, but figuring out which editing software to purchase can be difficult.

Adobe’s line-up of products is universally recognized as among the best editing software, so if you can afford to splurge on Adobe Premiere Pro, you should.

If you invest smartly in the accessories outlined here, you’ll have a great setup for producing engaging videos that look good, sound good, and engage viewers!